Machine for treating hat bodies



Sept. 22, 1931. s. w. CUMING 1,823,880

MACHINE FOR TREATING HAT BODIES Filed Jan. l 1, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l T0 BLOWER INVENTQR ATTORNEY Sept. 22, 1931. 5, w cu 1,823,880

MACHINE FOR TREATING HAT BODIES 20 I INVENTO I 11/142; haw/Lo ATTORNEY laws: 5

Sept. 22, 1931. 3 w, CUMING 1,823,880

MACHINE FOR TREATING HAT BODIES Filed Jan. 11. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY .Sept. 22, 1931. G. w.- CUMING MACHINE FOR TREATING HAT BODIES Filed Jan. 11, 1928 4 Shets-Shqet 4 'I'JLELIRE 11 73 TJELTHE '17 R.m Y. O E 2T W 0 mm m e u 7 MB 6 Patented Sept. 22, 1331 warren stares P TENT orries I w. CUMING, or new YORK, n. Y., nssrenon 'ro M. A. comma & 00. mo, A CORPORATION on NEW on 1 MACHINE FOR TREATING HAT BODIES Application filed January 11, 1928. Serial No. 245,856.

My invention relates to machinesfor treating hat bodies; that is, to machines for stretching the brinis of unfinished hats, usual- 1y made of felt or the like. More particularly stated, my invention comprehends an improved machine in which a hat body is placed, in order to stretch, flatten out and otherwise form into shape the i brim, and then to shape the crown. 5 My invention also contemplates a machine oi the general type just mentioned, but in which the hat body is subjected to the action of steam, so directed as to render the action of the steam as nearly as practicable uniform- Ty distributed.

My invention also comprehends the use, in a machine of this general type, of a. number of interchangeable forming members and parts associated therewith, for adapting the machine for use upon hats of different sizes. In addition, my invention contemplates means for stretching the hat brim unequally in different directions, for reasons hereinafter stated in detail.

My invention further contemplates various improvements, parts and combinations of mechanism used for treating hat bodies.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, ind in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 is a substantially central cross section showing one form of my invention, certain movable parts being in the positions they 35 ccupy while the machine is stretching a hat brim. I

Figure 1a is a section on the line la -10: of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. 4 Figure- 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fi are 1, looking in the direction indicated bvthe arrows.

Figure 1. looking in the direction indicated tain movable parts as occupymg difierent positions from the ones theyoccupy in said 9 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of; the line17-17 of Figure 16.

i apnearingin Figures 1 to 9 inclusive. Figure 4- is a section corresponding to the middle portion of Figure 1, but showing cert;

Figure 5 is an enlargedfragmentary section of certain mechanism appearing int-he left hand portion of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is" a section on the line 66, of 1':

Figure 5, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. V v I Ihgure"! 1s a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 5, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. r v

Figure/8 is a fragmentary plan view of the treadle shown at the lower portion of Fig ure 1. I

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken upon the line 9-9 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

v Figure 10 is a front view, partly an elovation and partly a section,showing another form of my invention. J

Figure-11 is a fragmentary side elevation of mechanism shown in the upper portion of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of Figure 10, lookin in the direction indicated by the arrows. i I

Figure 13 is a fragmentaryv plan of certain parts appearing in the upper portion of Figure 10. A 1

Figure 14 is a fragmentary section, showing a form of mechanism for maintaining the shape of the hat crown whilethe brim is be ing stretched,but differing from theform shown in the middle of Figure 1.

Figure 15 is a detail of certain cam mechanism used for stretching the hat brim.

Figure 16 is a plan view of an elliptical member forming a part of the hat forming in g said elliptical member being removable, and interchangeable with-others of its kind, to accommodate hats of different sizes.

Figure 17 is a section through said ellip tical member and an adjacent portion of the hat forming ring; the section being taken on I will first describe the form of my device Mounted upon the upper portion-of the.

framework are a pair of hangers 15, shown 3 tween the tons of these 'uide bars is a cross i b shown more particularly in F1g-' piece 22, are 1. v

Carried upon the lower end of the guide bars 21, 21 is a lifting spider 23, of a form which may be understood by reference to Figure 2. The guide bars 21, 21 are at their lower ends provided with bolt heads 24,

upon which the lifting spider rests.

Carried by the sect-or 19 and partially wound thereupon is a flexibl supporting member 28, such as a chain. The upper end of this flexible supporting member is connected with the upper portion of the sector 19, as indicated in Figure 9. This flexible supporting member is secured atv its lower end to an adjusting bolt 29,somewhat in the nature of a turnbuckle. The adjusting .bolt 29 carries anenlarged angular portion 30, whereby itmay be turned and thus adjusted.

Another flexible supporting member 28a is also carried by and partially wound upon the sector 19. One end'of this flexible mem ber is connected with the lower portion of the sector, as indicated in Figure 9, the other end of this flexible supporting member being secured to the cross piec 22.

The lifting spider 23 carries a presser foot 31, and encircling this presser foot is a collar 32. This collar is provided with slots 33, and extending through these slots are clamping bolts 34, ca-rried by the presser foot presser foot. To adjust it, the bolts are loosened, the collaris moved, and the bolts are then tightened.

Th purpose of the presser foot 31 with its colla'r 32 is to force a forming block into the guide'the lifting spider 23 and parts carried vector 19 is'rocked in a clockwise direction thereby, asthey are raised and lowered under control of the hand lever 17 and. flexible supporting members 28 and 28a.

Each time the hand lever 17 is raised the according to Figure 9, so that the guide bars 21, 21 are raised by means of the flexible supportmg'member 28 and each time the hand lever 17 is brought down, the guide bars are The-collar 32 is adjustable upon the upon the cross beams 12, is used for supplying steam to the hat body, as hereinaft r more particularly set forth.

Located within the bottom of the steam chamber is a baffle plate 36a, resting upon adjusting bolts 366 which serve as supporting feet, and which extend through slots 360 with which the baffle plate is provided. By adjusting the adjusting bolts 36?) the spacing of the baflle plate from the bottom of the steam chamber, and the inclination of the baflle plate,may be controlled within certain limits.

Connected with the bottom of the, steam chamber 36, at a point below the baffle plate 36a, is a steam pipe 36d, provided with a handle 37 and used for admitting steam into the steam chamber 36. The steam thus admitted, upon reaching the baffle plate 36a, is diffusedand spread out, and its heat and its moisture are thus in great measure equalized throughout the steam chamber. The steam passes upwardly, and around the edges of the baffle plate, as may be understood from F ig= ure 3.

Connected with the steam chamber 36 is an exhaust pipe 38, and connected with this exhaust pipe is a valve 39 provided with a handle 40 and having the form of a gate valve, as shown in Figure 1a. The exhaust pipe 38 leads to a blower, not shown, but indicated by the legend To Blower.

A baflle plate 38a is mounted within the steam chamber 36, so as to cover the adjacent end of the exhaust pipe 38. The purpose of this bafiie plate is to equalize and distribute, as far as practicable, the partial vacuum created by the blower. By virtue of this arrangement, the baffle plates 36a and 38a cooperate with the each other to render the action of the steam as nearly as possible uniform upon different portions of the hat brim.

The'direction of travel of the steam, in first V passing into the steam chamber under control. of thehand valve 37, and then passing out of the steam chamber and through the exhaust pipe, under control of the valve 39, is indicated by arrows and appropriate legends in Figure 1.

The steam chamber 36 is provided at its top with an annular flange 41,'and resting upon this annular flange is a large ring 43,'provided with an outwardly extending thin peripheral portion 44.

Resting loosely upon the large ring 43, which is stationary, is a cam ring 45, which is movable and has the form indicated for it in Figures 2 and 15. This ca-m'ring is circular internally, and is provided upon its periphery with a number of separate cam surfaces 47, 47b. There are four of the cam surfaces 47, and four of the cam sur aces 47?). The cam surfaces 476 are considerably steeper than the cam surfaces 47. The cam ring is further provided With a handle 46. The operator by'grasping the handling 46 can turn the cam ring to a limited extent back and forth.

Bolts 170; extend through the thin portion of the large ring 43, and also through the gasket and the annular flange 36, as may be understood from Figure. 7 so as to hold these parts securely together. j

, A hat forming ring isshownat'49, and is provided with a removable portion 48 of annular form. This hat forming ring is provided with a number of slots 50, extending radially outward, as maybe understood from Figure 2. v

Extending loosely 50 are pins 51', each carrying a roller 52, these rollers extending into engagement with the cam surfaceseffld't'b. f v I Each time the operator grasps the handle l6 and presses it toward the left, so as to turn the cam ring t?) in a clockwise direction according to Figure 15, all of the rollers 51 are moved radially outward. However, ow- .ng to the steepness and greatdepth of the cam surfaces e as compared with the cam surfaces 47, the particular rollers in engage through theseveral slots ment with ho cam surfaces 47?) are moved further than the rollers in engagement with he cam surfaces 47. p

The purpose of this arrangement is to stretch the hat brim a little more inone direction than in another.

In most hats the brims are not circular, but .oniewhat elliptical. With the brim elliptical, it should be stretched in the direction of its longer axis to a greater extent than in the direction of its shorter axis.

Each pin 51 is carried by a foot plate 53, .here being a. many of these foot plates as there r are rollers 52 and cam grooves 47. Each foot plate 53 is provided with a massive portion 5 having the proximate form of a crescent, as indicated in Figure 6, in order to afford a wide bearing surface suitable for gripping the hat brim, as hereinafter more parti ularly described.

Mounted rigidly upon the forming ring it are a number of guide rails 55, arranged in airs as shown in Figure 7, the rails of eac .h pair extending radially outward and parall l to each other, and held in position by bolts 56. Each footplate 53, above describethis slldbly titted in betweenapair of the guide rails,

.35, and within reasonable limits is movable back and forth that is adapted to slide r'adi ally inward and outward. v g

Each foot plate 53 is provided with a pair .of annular bearings 57, extending upwardly Jrom it as indicated in Figures 5 to 'Z inclu- Each sector 6l'is provided with a gripping surface 61a having the form of a crescent and thus matin the ad acent '11 111 a o o a: surface 5 I 5 Each sector 61 carries a chain 63, partially wound within the groove 62, the end of the chain beingsecured to the sector at a point adjacent one end of the groove, as indicated in Figure 5. I e 1 Connected with each sector 61 are apair of tensile springs 6%, shown more particularly in Figure 6, these springs being also connected with the pair of guide rail's'55 immediately adjacent. The purpose of the springs 6&1- is to maintain the rollers pressed against the adjacent cam surface of the cam ring.

A hat crown is shown at 65 and a hat brim at 66, these two parts being integral with each other and together comprising a hatbody',

may be understood from Figure l. A crown block is shown at 6660, and is of proper form .and size to fit into a hat crown 65, in order to form the crown and hold it in proper shape.

In order to rock the sectors 61 by means I of the chains 63, I provide a treadle 67', shown more particularly in'Figure 8. This treadie isjournaled to rock upon a stationary shaft 68, and carries a spider 69, connected with all of the chains 63, as indicated more particularly in Figure 8.

Connected with each foot plate 53 and the sector 61 carried thereby is a coiled spring 61?). The purpose of this spring is to retract the sector into its normal position.

The treadle 6'? is normally stationary and occupies a position at the upper limit of its travel, as indicated in Figure 1.

With the treadle in this position the sectors 61 each occupy the positions indicated for them in Figure 1. When the treadle is depressed, by the foot of the operator, the sectors 61 are thereby rocked into the positions indicated for them in Figure 4. Thus they first grip and then release the brim 66 of the hat, this gripping and releasing of the brim being entirely under control of the treadle, and being independent of the positions occupied from. time to time by the foot plates 53, the latter being slided radially inward and outward, under control of the scam ring e5, which is operated by hand as above described.

Each time the cam ring i5 is rocked. in a counter-clockwise direction according to Figure 2 by means of the handle 46 shown in that figure, the foot plates 53 are each moved radially outward, by the simple cannning tion of the bottoms of the cam grooves 47 against the rollers 52.

tor, by using the treadle as above described, can cause the hat brim to be gripped, while the handle 46' of the can ring occupies a position at the left limit of its travel, as indicated in Figure l; and then with the hat brim thus gripped the operator, by grasping the handle 46 and rocking the cam ring 45 slightly in a counter-clockwise direction, can cause the-foot plates 53 allto move radially outward, thus stretching the brim.

it hilc the brim is thus being stretched, the crown is empty; but as soon as the brim is thoroughly stretched, and with the grippers still holding its outer edge, the crown block 66a is placed by hand in the crown, and'the presser foot 31 is allowed to descend by its own weight, this movement being controlled by a movement of the hand lever IT.

The downward movement of the presser foot 31 allows the descentof the crown block well into the hat crown, the precise distance being measured by the position of the collar 32 relatively to the presser foot. By thus forcing the crown block well into the crown,

the top surface of the crown block is carried a little below the plane of the brim. This leaves a little margin, so that the crown block does not quite fill the crown, and this margin allows for shrinkage of the/crown. Except for this provision, the subsequent shrinkage of the crown would leave the crown a rifle too shallow for the depth of V the crown block.

In Figures 10 to 14 inclusive. I show a slightly different form of mechanism for stretching the hat brim.

For this purpose I use number of foot plates 70, somewhat like the foot plates 53, both in structure and action, these foot plates bein slidably fitted between stationary slides 71., which arefarranged in pairs and held rigidly in position by bolts 72. i

Each foot plate 70 is provided with a pair f bearings 73, in which is journaled a shaft 2'4, carrying a gripping lever 75. This-grip ph a lever has a rocking movement very h like that of any one of the rocking sectors 61.

Each gripping lever 7 5 is provided with a jaw 7 6, and mating this aw is another jaw 77, carried by the adjacent foot plate, as may be understood from Figure 10.

Each footvplate 70 is connected with a pair 1! r *1 springs 7 8. which are secured to the adja cent stationary slide rails 71. The tendency of the springs is to force the footplates radi ally inward, after the manner above described for the foot plates 54.

he ripping levers are at their outer ends pix ally connected with tension rods 7 9, the latter being connected at their lower ends to co-its 80, as indicated in Figure 10, these bol s being car ied by a spider 81, as shown in Figure 12.

A tensile spring 82 is connected with the middle of the spider 81, and extends upwardly therefrom. A turnbuckle 83 is connected with the top of the spring'82, and with a fixture 84, carried by the framework. The spider 81 is connected with the treadle 67. That is, the plate '85 is substituted for the plate 69, shown in Figure 8.

Theoperator, by depressing and releasing the treadle 67, causes the gripping levers to be rocked back and forth, and thus to grip and release the hat brim 66.

In Figure '14 I show a mechanism somewhat similar to theone appearing in the upper portion of F ignre 4, and used for forcing the block 66a into the crown of the hat, to distance adequate to allow for shrinkage of the'hat'body.

A presser foot 86 carries a pair of clamping screws 87. These extend out through slots in a plunger ring 88. The lifting ring is carried by extension bars 89, similar to the extension bars 21 above described.

The presser foot 86 is adjustable relatively to the lifting ring 88. V

The operator by loosening the screws 87 can raise or lower the presser foot 86 and by then tightening the screws can clamp the presser foot in its new position. Thus by adjusting the presser foot it can be made to protrude a little below the adjacent lower edge of the plunger ring 88.

Thepurpose in having-the presser foot 86 adjustable relatively to the plunger ring 88 is to enable the pressed foot to extend a littie into the hat crown, as shown in Figure 14, and thus to force the crown block well down into the crown of the hat, so as to allow for hrinkage of the crown.

During the operation of the machine, the operator fromtime to time allows the escape of exhaust steam from the steam chamber, which he does by opening the gate valve 39 by means of the handle 40. V 8

In either of the two forms of my inven' tion the hat forming ring is provided with an elliptical portion 48 which is removable, replaceable, and interchangeable. The purpose of the elliptical portion 48 is to adapt the hat forming ring for hats of different sizes. For this purpose, the elliptical member 48 is simply lifted out .of position and replaced by another elliptical member of the stood from Figures 1 6 and 17.

In either of the two forms of my invention, the operator pursues essentially the same steps. Speaking broadly and in a general practical way, he uses the hand lever 17 to raise and lower the presser foot; he uses the treadle to grip and release the'outer or peripheral portion of the hat brim; he uses the handle 46 to stretch the hat brim; he employs the hand valve 37 to turn steam into the steam chamber; and he operates the handle at; to discharge the exhaust steam from the steam chamber.

The operation of my device may be readily understood from the foregoing description.

r'issuine that the form of my machine shown in Figure l is in the condition indicated for it in that figure. Here the machine contains a hat body which has just been finished.

The operator grasps the hand lever 17 and raises it, thus lifting the presser foot 31 out of engagement with the crown block 66a. Next he depresses the treadle 67 and holds it down. thereby causing the sectors 61 to be rocl ed into the positions indicated'for them in Figure 42. This releases the hat body, which the operator now removes by hand, along with the crown block. Next he places in the machine another hat body, its crown being empty, and by releasing pressure of his foot upon the treadle, allows the same to rise. Thus the sectors 61 are allowed to rock back into their respective normal positions, and they grip the outer or peripheral edge of the hat brim, as may be understood from Fig ure 1.

The operator next opens the hand valve 37 and admits live steam into the steam chamber 36. The steam in entering spreads underneath the bafiie plate 36a, and diffuses upwardly around the edges thereof, as may be understood from the form of the baffle plate as indicated in Figure 3. The steam in entering the steam chamber is distributed more or less equally, so that its effect upon the hat body is as near as practicable uniform; Next the operator grasps the handle 46, and

by rocking the cam ring 45 as above described,

causes the foot plates 53 to be forced radially outward, thereby stretching the hat brim 66.

Then the operator opens the gate valve 39 by means of the handle 40, and thus allows the exhaust steam to escape from the steam chamber through the blower, as indicated by the legend at the right of Figure 1. Because the steam is exhausted at a point removed a little distance from the hat body, the steam in escaping does not cause the hat body to be heated or moistened unequally, or to be misshapen.

This leaves the apparatus in the condition indicated for it in Figure l, as at the start.

The action of the mechanism shown in Figures 10 to 12 inclusive is essentially the same as that ust described with reference to other figures, due allowancebeing made for slight differences in forms of various parts as above described.

I find that hat brims. stretched as above described upon either form of my mechanisms, are not only stretched uniformly, but are given a marked tendency to retain afterward the forms into which they are thus 7 I claim as new and desire to secure by Lea ters Patent is as follows g 1. In a machine for treating hat bodies, the combination of a steam chamber, a hat form ing member fixed relatively thereto and provided with means for supporting a hat body extending partially thereinto, a plurality. of foot plates slidably mounted in position and adapted to be moved outwardly in order. to stretch thehat brim, gripping. jawscarried by said foot plates for gripping the outer edge of said hat brim, a pluralityrofrollers carried by saidfoot plates, and a cam ring connected with said steam chamber and engaging said rollers, said cam ring being controllable by the operator for shifting the positions of said rollers and thereby causing said foot plates to be moved outwardly.

2. In a hat forming machine the combination, with a frame and a steam chamber connected therewith, of a hat forming ring carried by said frame for supporting a hat body extending into said steam chamber, a plurality of gripping mechanisms carried by said frame for grasping the brim of said hat body, and means for causing said gripping mechanisms to move, to unequal distances portions ofsaid hat brim more than other portions thereof.

4., In a machinefor treating hat bodies the combination of a steam chamber, a hat forming member provided with means for supporting a hat body extending partially into said steam chamber, a plurality of foot plates slidably mounted in position and adapted to be moved outwardly in order to stretch the hat brim, gripping plates carried by said foot plates for gripping the outer edge of said hat brim, a plurality of rollers carried by said foot plates, and cam mechanism engaging said rollers andcontrollable by the operator for shifting the positions of said rollers in order to cause said foot plates to move outwardly. V 5. In a machine for treating hat bodies the combination of a steam chamber, a hat forming member fixed relatively to said steam chamber and provided With means for supporting a hat body extending partially thereinto,' a plurality of foot plates slidably mounted in position and adapted to be moved 10 outwardly in order to stretch the hat brim, gripping aws carried by said foot plates for gripping the outeredge of said hat brim, a plurality of extending members carried by said foot plates, and a cam ring connected 5 With said steam chamber and encircling the sameysaid cam ring engaging said extending members and being controllable by the operator for shifting the positions of said extending members and thereby moving said foot plates outwardly.

o- Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 9th day of January, 1928. GEORGE W. CUMING. 

